News

The Oscars ceremony will be broadcast globally on YouTube starting in 2029, moving exclusively from the ABC channel, Reuters reported. ABC has broadcast the annual Academy Awards continuously since 1976 and will continue to do so through 2028, which will mark the 100th Academy Awards ceremony.

Audiences are increasingly turning to streaming platforms, contributing to declining television ratings. The 2025 Oscars — also streamed on Hulu — drew 19.7 million viewers in the U.S., marking the highest viewership in five years, but still far below the peak of approximately 57 million in...

Sunqar, a restaurant perched at the highest point in Almaty, has introduced an unconventional new dining format: guests now eat with their eyes covered, completely deprived of visual cues.

Located within the city’s international ski jump complex at an elevation of 1,057 meters (3,468 feet) above sea level, Sunqar has long been known for its dramatic setting.

A destination known for views and proposals

Until recently, the restaurant’s main draw was its sweeping panoramic views of Almaty and the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains. Many guests booked tables specifically to propose marriage.

Sunqar also features a special table for couples with...

The U.S. Congress has passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), authorizing approximately $901 billion in defense spending, the largest amount approved under the annual legislation. The bill includes a 4% pay increase for service members, investments in modernizing weapons procurement and initiatives aimed at maintaining U.S. military competitiveness, according to Reuters.

The measure was approved by wide margins in both chambers, continuing a more than six-decade tradition of passing the NDAA each year.

Support for Europe

One of the key elements of the bill is its reaffirmation of U.S. commitments in Europe. The legislation, for...

Sanctions pressure from the EU and the U.S. on Russia continues to intensify, with growing implications for Kazakhstan’s economy. These measures threaten not only asset freezes but also civil and regulatory liability for transactions conducted through Western jurisdictions.

Kursiv.media spoke with Andris Ivanovs, an expert at the British law firm Ashurst, about how businesses can identify sanctions-related risks in Kazakhstan and the five essential steps they should take to protect themselves.

Key risks for Kazakhstani companies doing business with Russia

In October 2025, the EU adopted its 19th sanctions package, which directly affected several companies in Central Asia, including...

Japan inspires the people of Kazakhstan with its discipline and resilience, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated during a meeting with Emperor Naruhito of Japan, the Akorda press service reported.

During the meeting, Tokayev expressed his appreciation for Japan’s hospitality. The sides discussed issues of bilateral cooperation and the international agenda.

In turn, Emperor Naruhito expressed confidence that this visit would be a significant event in the history of Kazakhstan-Japan relations, enhancing them to a completely new level.

The program of Tokayev’s visit to Japan includes not only scheduled meetings but also a large-scale business component. The signing...

Flight KC931 from Almaty to Bangkok, operated by Air Astana, made an emergency landing at Delhi airport on Dec. 18 due to a technical malfunction.

The airline said in a statement that the aircraft, with 138 passengers on board, departed from Almaty at 1 a.m. and landed in India’s capital at 5:01 a.m. The company emphasized that the landing went normally.

The passengers are being provided with food and temporary visas, while accommodation issues are being handled. At the same time, the airline is preparing a reserve aircraft to deliver passengers to their destination.

This marks...

Kazakh ethnic designer Tilek Sultan sparked debate after receiving a custom order for a kimeshek, a traditional head covering for married Kazakh women with children.

While researching, Sultan noticed confusion between the kimeshek and the Islamic hijab. He raised the subject online, receiving swift, heated responses.

A question that sparked confusion

Sultan said a woman asked if he made kimesheks. When he asked if it was for a married woman, she said her daughter was a college student. She said her family wanted the girl to wear a “Kazakh hijab.”

The designer told her that only women who...

FC Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has held talks over a potential transfer to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire FC, according to the BBC. The 37-year-old Polish footballer is open to a move, and his high salary is not expected to be an obstacle.

Lewandowski’s contract with the Catalan club runs until the summer of 2026. FC Barcelona’s management is not rushing to extend the agreement.

According to the source, the forward is also considering other options for continuing his career. Lewandowski has not ruled out staying with Barcelona for one...

Merriam-Webster chose «slop» as its 2025 word of the year, explaining that it means low-quality online content such as confusing instructional videos generated by artificial intelligence (AI), joke social media posts created by bots and books written by AI, according to CNN.

By choosing this word, Merriam-Webster joins other major dictionaries that have focused on technology-related language this year. Collins, Cambridge and Oxford, for example, have also chosen words related to digital culture and online habits — «vibe coding,» «parasocial» and «rage bait» — showing how technology keeps changing the way people communicate and discuss issues.

Moreover, The Economist...

Instagram is developing a dedicated television app that will let users watch Reels directly on their TVs. The service is expected to debut in the U.S. on Amazon Fire TV devices.

How the TV experience will work

According to Instagram, users can log in with up to five existing accounts or create a separate account specifically for TV viewing. Reels keep their vertical format rather than stretching to fit widescreen televisions, and videos run up to 3 minutes.

The app offers two viewing feeds: a personalized stream and a second feed that shows videos a user’s friends have...

The song «Seven Nation Army,» often associated by boxing fans with Gennadiy Golovkin, who famously entered the ring to its iconic riff during championship bouts, will be performed live in Almaty. Its author, rock performer Jack White, will headline the first day of the Park Live Almaty 2026 international music festival.

The event is set to take place in Almaty from Aug. 21 to 23, 2026, turning the city into Central Asia’s music capital.

The full lineup has not yet been revealed; however, organizers have already announced two major names. Along with White...

Authorities in Mississippi have arrested a Texas woman accused of tampering with packaged bread by inserting razor blades at two Walmart locations in Biloxi, The Associated Press reported.

Police identified the suspect as Camille Benson, 33, who faces a charge of attempted mayhem. She is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to the Biloxi Police Department.

The investigation began after customers reported finding razor blades inside loaves of bread purchased at a Walmart Supercenter and a nearby Walmart Neighborhood Market in early December. Following complaints, store employees examined the bread shelves and discovered multiple loaves that...

Michelle and Barack Obama were planning to meet filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, on the same day the couple was found dead at their Los Angeles home, according to remarks made by the former first lady.

During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Michelle Obama said she and her husband had known the Reiners for many years and had arrangements to see them that evening, making the news of their deaths especially devastating.

Barack Obama shared a public tribute on social media, saying that he and Michelle were deeply saddened by the sudden loss...

Singapore-based holding company Food Empire has invested 6.7 billion tenge (about $13 million) in the construction of a tea and coffee production facility in Khorgos, a key gateway city linking Kazakhstan and China. The plant will produce instant coffee under the popular MacCoffee brand.

Khorgos emerges as manufacturing hub

Speaking at a recent briefing in Astana, Beibit Issabayev, governor of Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu region, which borders China, said 32 investment projects are currently underway in the Khorgos special economic zone. One of the largest is the MacCoffee beverage plant, which is being developed by Empire Manufacturing Kazakhstan.

Production capacity and...

BAE Systems, the U.K.’s largest multinational aerospace and defense company, has decided to sell half of its stake in Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s national carrier, according to Reuters.

Once the deal is completed, the British company’s shareholding will fall from 16.95% to approximately 8%. In 2024, BAE Systems had already reduced its stake from 49% following Air Astana’s IPO in London and Kazakhstan.

Even after the sale, BAE Systems will remain the airline’s second-largest shareholder after Samruk-Kazyna, which holds 41%. The Unified Accumulative Pension Fund, with a 6.51% stake, will rank third.

According to the London Stock Exchange, BAE...

Former undisputed world boxing champion in three weight classes, Terence Crawford, announced his retirement from professional boxing.

«Walking away as a great with nothing else left to prove,» he wrote on Instagram.

Furthermore, Crawford posted a video on YouTube recapping his professional boxing career.

«I gave this sport everything I had. I faced the best, moved through...

TotalEnergies has announced that Chinese firms Shanghai Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and Shanghai Electric Group, along with Kazakhstan-based GCD Partner, have joined a consortium of contractors tasked with designing and building the 1-gigawatt Mirny wind farm in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region.

Project ownership and partnerships

TotalEnergies holds a 60% stake in the project operator, Aktas Energy, which was established in partnership with Samruk-Energy and Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, KazMunayGas.

Scope of work and timeline

Under the agreement, the Chinese-Kazakh consortium will be responsible for the project’s design, equipment supply, construction and commissioning. The work...

Legendary soprano Bibigul Tulegenova — widely regarded as the brightest star of Kazakh musical art — has turned 96. A People’s Artist of both the Soviet Union and Kazakhstan, Tulegenova has left an indelible mark on the history of Kazakh music and culture.

Bringing Kazakh song to the world

Throughout her career, Tulegenova received numerous state awards and honors in recognition of her artistic achievements. She performed Kazakh folk music on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, helping introduce Kazakhstan’s musical heritage to international audiences.

Her interpretations of beloved folk songs such as «Gakku,» «Bulbul» («Nightingale») and «Zhiyrma Bes...

Australian police in New South Wales reported questioning Naveed Akram, 24, the surviving suspected gunman hospitalized following the mass shooting at Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration on Dec. 14, according to ABC News. Police noted that no formal charges have been filed yet.

The investigation is examining events in the months leading up to the attack. According to the country’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, cited by ABC News, Naveed Akram traveled with his father, Sajid Akram, 50 — the second alleged gunman, who was killed at the...

Gorilla Asia, the company that produces popular energy drinks, has officially announced that it has no plans to move its production out of Kazakhstan in the near future.

Earlier this month, BES.media reported that the company was considering relocating its production from Kazakhstan to neighboring Uzbekistan due to a new tax. Starting on Jan. 1, 2026, Kazakhstan will introduce a new excise duty of approximately $0.29 per liter on energy drinks. The tax will also apply to exported goods and is expected to increase gradually to $0.35 per liter.

According to Gorilla Asia, the company has no plans to...

An Air Astana-operated Almaty-Astana flight, KC-851, made an emergency landing early on Dec. 17. The flight crew issued a mayday call due to smoke in the cabin, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport. The incident involving an Airbus A321N aircraft occurred at 7:38 a.m. local time.

The aircraft landed at Almaty airport at 7:40 a.m. For safety, aircraft rescue and fire-fighting services entered the runway.

According to preliminary information, there were no injuries among passengers or crew. The transport accident and incident investigation department has launched an investigation into the circumstances of...

The recent tragedy at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, where two gunmen targeted people attending a Hanukkah celebration, serves as a grim reminder of the vulnerability of public spaces. While this incident involved a shooting during a Jewish holiday gathering, the underlying psychological and sociological factors often resemble those seen in attacks on schools, shopping malls and parades.

Contrary to popular belief, prior research in the U.S. suggests that severe mental illness (like psychosis) is rarely the sole cause. Instead, a complex mix of grievance, trauma, and a desire for notoriety typically drives these individuals.

The...

In northeastern Brazil, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park stuns visitors with an otherworldly landscape: endless white dunes carved by wind and dotted with hundreds of vivid, seasonal freshwater lagoons, the BBC reported.

Driven by strong coastal winds, towering dunes rising up to 30 meters are pushed inland from the Atlantic. During the rainy season, which lasts from January to June, heavy rainfall collects in natural basins between the dunes, forming crystal-clear lagoons that persist for months, held in place by an impermeable layer beneath the sand.

Such a blend of sand and freshwater is quite rare, which is why...

Airports in Thailand have tightened border checks against the backdrop of escalating tensions with Cambodia, the Bangkok Post reported. Foreigners who could potentially serve as mercenaries are under special scrutiny.

The Thai Immigration Bureau warned tourists of possible line extensions of up to 45 minutes, compared with the usual 20 minutes. Stricter measures apply at airports in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang international airports), as well as in Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai.

Police noted that Cambodian citizens arriving in Thailand for work or business purposes are now required to obtain...